GPS – Global Positioning System – has served the direction-challenged well, but the satellite based system some pretty outstanding drawbacks. Ever tried using your satnav in a tunnel? …or how-about something as simple as retrieving directions indoors??.

These hiccups might be a slight inconvenience for joe-public, but it’s downright disastrous for the military, the original GPS users.

Our favourite gadget-factory – DARPA – is addressing such concerns with the development of a completely self-sufficient navigation system, one that aids navigation when GPS is down.

DARPA researchers working at the University of Michigan have taken a clever approach with the creation of a – TIMU – Timing and Inertial Measurement Unit. The unit, a single chip containing a six axis IM – three gyroscopes and three accelerometers – integrating with a highly accurate master clock, all in a system smaller than a 5 cent coin.

The chip integrates breakthrough devices from DARPA’s übercool – Micro-Technology for Positioning Navigation and Timing – Micro-PNT program. The TIMU prototype gives the device the superneat ability to gather precise orientation, acceleration and time information to track a user’s position while travelling from point A to B :: Read the full article »»»»